Air pollution damages human health and the environment. Considerable progress has been made in Europe to reduce emissions and exposure to different air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and lead (Pb). However, despite reductions, certain air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and some organic compounds, still pose a threat to human health. For the EEA-32 group of countries, it has been estimated that in 2005 almost 5 million lost life years could be attributed to air pollution with fine particles (PM2.5) alone.

The rationale for selection of pollutant and corresponding limit/target values for CSI 004 is given in the justification for indicator selection. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit and/or lack of air quality data.

Cities are core cities following the Urban Audit definition (Eurostat, 2010). In most cases the delineation of the core city matches the urban built-up area. But in some cases the delineation also includes substantial areas outside the urban built-up areas (parts of the urban fringe and hinterland); in other cases, it includes only city centres

Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) In the period 1997-2008, 18-50 % of the urban population was potentially exposed to ambient air concentrations of particulate matter (PM 10 ) in excess of the EU limit value set for the protection of human health (50 microgram /m 3 daily mean not be exceeded more than 35 days a calendar year); (Figure 1). Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) In the period 1997-2008, 6-41 % of the urban population was potentially exposed to ambient air nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) concentrations above the EU limit value set for the protection of human health (40 microgram NO 2 /m 3 annual mean). There was a slight downwards trend over the period (Figure 1). Ozone (O 3 ) In the period 1997-2008, 13-62 % of the urban population in Europe was exposed to ambient ozone concentrations exceeding the EU target value set for the protection of human health (120 microgram O 3 /m 3 daily maximum 8-hourly average, not to be exceeded more than 25 times a calendar year by 2010). The 62 % of the urban population exposed to ambient ozone concentrations over the EU target value was recorded in 2003, which was the record year. There was no discernible trend over the period (Figure 1). Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) In the period 1997-2008, the fraction of the urban population in EEA-32 member countries that is potentially exposed to ambient air concentrations of sulphur dioxide in excess of the EU limit value set for the protection of human health (125 microgram SO 2 /m 3 daily mean not to be exceeded more than three days a year), decreased to less than 1 %, and as such the EU limit value set is close to being met everywhere in the urban background (Figure 1).

This report looks at the forces shaping the future of the environment in the Western Balkans, in particular at the role of consumption and production patterns. It begins with a review of key recent environmental trends in the region, then analyses the global, European, regional and national drivers — such as social, political and economic — that are shaping production and consumption patterns. Addressing environmental challenges in a sustainable manner requires a close review of plausible future developments in other sectors and the potential implications of these drivers on the environment. At the end report also looks at how different actors in the region can act to shape environmental futures. The report takes a futures perspective because the countries of the Western Balkan are at a turning point in the development of their economies, societies and environment. This is important as in the long term, political, economic and other changes may exacerbate some environmental problems, create new ones and provide the means to address existing issues. The report also closely reviews and assesses how can available information support region-wide forward-looking integrated environment assessment.

Abstract: The potential health benefits of reducing annual mean PM2.5 levels from the current observed values to 25, 20, 15 and 10 µg/m3 were estimated for the 26 European cities of the APHEIS network in 15 European countries, using well-established methods and published results of research on the effects of current air pollution on public health